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NBA Rookie of the Year odds: LaMelo heavy favorite after triple-double

David Dow / National Basketball Association / Getty

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Before the season, we said Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball - the preseason favorite to win Rookie of the Year - was "made for this award." Three weeks into the season, he's running away with it.

On Saturday, the 19-year-old became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, posting 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists in the Hornets' win over the Atlanta Hawks. It came just a day after he fell one assist short of a triple-double in Friday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Oddsmakers have taken notice, pricing the young phenom as a -210 favorite to win the award. Tyrese Haliburton (+600), Anthony Edwards (+800), and James Wiseman (+800) are the only other rookies priced shorter than 10-1.

Through 10 games, Ball ranks second among rookies in points per game (12.8) and paces all rookies in rebounds (6.3), assists (5.9), and steals (1.5). He's also checking the boxes with his advanced stats, ranking in the top 30 of all players in box plus-minus (4.5) and value over replacement player (0.4) for a Charlotte team currently tied for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Still, is he worth such a short price? Here are the updated Rookie of the Year odds and three values to consider if you can't justify the juice on Ball:

PLAYER ODDS
LaMelo Bell -210
Tyrese Haliburton +600
Anthony Edwards +800
James Wiseman +800
Cole Anthony +1800
Obi Toppin +1800
Deni Avdija +3000
Tyrese Maxey +3600
Isaac Okoro +5500
Patrick Williams +5500
Payton Pritchard +5500
Saddiq Bey +5500
Desmond Bane +6500
Devin Vassell +6500
Precious Achiuwa +8500
Theo Maledon +8500

Tyrese Haliburton (+600)

There's a legitimate argument that Haliburton has been the best rookie in the league this year, and there's no reason he should be priced this long. His efficiency was one of the reasons he was a prized prospect out of Iowa State, and he's shown it thus far in eight games with the Sacramento Kings.

Haliburton leads all rookies in player efficiency rating (20.31) and true shooting percentage (68.3) and has made his mark this year despite a lower usage rate in a crowded backcourt. He also ranks third in assist-to-turnover ratio (5.5) among all NBA players with more than 15 assists, and he's had a positive impact on Sacramento's defensive numbers.

His box score stats may not pop as much as Ball's by the end of the season, but he's on track to have the biggest impact of any rookie this year. That's easily worth betting at +600 odds.

James Wiseman (+800)

Are we too quick to write off Wiseman? The No. 2 pick looked like a future superstar in his first two games when he averaged 18.5 points, seven rebounds, and 1.5 blocks on 50% shooting. Though his numbers have dipped since then, he still hasn't played more than 25 minutes in a game this season.

That will change as Wiseman becomes more familiar with the Golden State Warriors' system, and he's already earned glowing reviews from coach Steve Kerr in that regard. The 7-footer is tied for seventh in blocks per game (1.5) and will continue to stuff the stat sheet as the season progresses.

Payton Pritchard (+5500)

Pritchard wasn't on anybody's radar for this award entering the year, but the Oregon product has been arguably one of the five best rookies this season and merits attention at such a long price.

The 6-foot-1 guard has seen the fourth-most playing time of any Boston Celtics player and impressed doing so, averaging 8.6 points, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals on solid percentages in 22.9 minutes per game. He also hit a game-winner against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, just two days after dropping a career-high 23 points. He's not a favorite by any means, but at this price, it's worth a shot.

C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.

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